We know what you’re thinking: Wait, there wasn’t already a Lilly Pulitzer in Georgetown?
It’s okay–it’s surprising to us all. Though brand reps say it’s been a goal for years to mark Lilly Pulitzer’s territory in Georgetown, on Friday, the resort wear company is finally opening its first store in the District, joining other area shops in Bethesda, Alexandria, and McLean.
Related: What to Do, Eat, and Shop in Georgetown
“We’re thrilled to be in Georgetown–we’ve wanted to be here for a long time,” says Lilly Pulitzer’s senior vice president of marketing, Jane Schoenborn-Paradis. “Because of all of the great shopping and restaurants, it just seems like the perfect time and the perfect area for us to enter this market.”
The timing for this colorful brand to open in Georgetown seems to be pretty spot-on, if one looks at the recent resurgence of preppy fashion retailers in the neighborhood: Menswear shop Onward Reserved opened last summer, Atlanta’s Ann Mashburn and Sid Mashburn several months after, and e-tailer Tuckernuck is going brick and mortar soon. If Georgetown’s influx of bright, patterned, country-club-frequenting-type retailers is any sign, we think it’s safe to say Lilly Pulitzer will fit right in.
First and foremost a resort brand, Schoenborn-Paradis says that Lilly Pulitzer is where Washingtonian women need to shop if they’re headed somewhere warm on vacation. The store carries beach-ready shifts, tunics, all-white resort wear, accessories, and more, all inspired by the brand’s Palm Beach heritage.
The store decor itself will reflect the brand’s sunny aesthetic: the brownstore storefront has seen the addition of a hot pink, blue, green, and orange patterned awning; chandeliers hang inside; hand-painted fitting rooms include an underwater scene and an orange grove mural; and paintings of palm leaves line the staircase to the store’s second story.
“I think we’ll be bringing a little bit of sunshine onto our street,” says Schoenborn-Paradis.
Lilly Pulitzer is now open at 1079 Wisconsin Ave., NW.
Caroline Cunningham joined Washingtonian in 2014 after moving to the DC area from Cincinnati, where she interned and freelanced for Cincinnati Magazine and worked in content marketing. She currently resides in College Park.
